A student's investment

If you plan to use several interior colours, make up a palette to ensure they’re complementary. Photo / Supplied

As a 21-year-old university student, Helene Ravlich bought the house she now shares with her husband Jooles Clements and baby son Wolf.

When most other students were out partying, Ravlich had her eye on the property market, using money she earned from a couple of well-paid acting jobs in commercials to buy the Ponsonby villa for $169,000 in 1993. She then juggled work and study to pay the mortgage while at university because she didn't want to rent a flat.

"I saw how much money they could suck up that went nowhere, so I was much more comfortable with the idea of having my own place," says the freelance writer.

The house, which she shared with flatmates over the years, remained largely unchanged until freelance graphic designer and artist Clements moved in, in 2007, and the renovation started — along with plans for their wedding.

"I just loved it too much to want to move out," says Ravlich. "I love where it is and that it has a big garden for the dog."

The home had received little attention in the previous 20 years and some structural issues had to be addressed before the new indoor and outdoor living spaces could be created.

At some point in its history a fire had ripped through the back of the house and the floors had been replaced at a different level and covered with vinyl.

The house had to be repiled and the floors levelled, with Fijian kauri being laid in the fire-affected area. Carpet in other parts of the house was pulled up to the kauri floorboards.

"It was a bit scary because we didn't know the condition of the floorboards," says Ravlich. "I was imagining lots of rot, but other than two bits it was nowhere near as bad as I expected."

The large but spartan kitchen was transformed into the hub of the home with new cabinetry and an island bench. A shelving unit was slotted in next to the fireplace to hold some of their collection of books and ornaments.

The couple maximised the available space in the small bathroom so they could fit in a bath and glass-walled shower. French doors were put in to open the rear of the home to the deck, which was rebuilt and widened, and Clements also got a garden studio — or "man cave" — where he works on design and music projects. With the help of a project manager, kitchen designer and bathroom designer the project took 12 months and was finished before the arrival of Wolf in January.

Despite both being heavily into music — Clements is a former member of local rock band The Madison Press and Ravlich an established music writer — they resisted the urge to install a huge entertainment system or create a soundproof room.

"It was never really a party house," says Ravlich. "Most of the time I've worked from here as well so we've kept it quite serene. I'm an only child, so I like my quiet and space."

* Leanne Moore is the editor of Your Home & Garden. See the latest issue, on sale now, for more achievable home ideas